Thousands of Health Workers in South Yorkshire Have Been Assaulted at Work

In Yorkshire, The Star picks up on the recent release from NHS Protect of figurs of reported physical assaults on NHS staff. It reports that more than 3,400 workers were assaulted at South Yorkshire health trusts between April 2012 and March 2013 and says union bosses say the number of incidents could be just the tip of the iceberg because verbal attacks are not included in the figures.

At Sheffield Health and Social Care, which treats people with dementia and mental health problems, 805 workers were attacked, while at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals the figure was just under 200.

At Sheffield Children’s Hospital, 223 employees were assaulted.

But across the county, just 11 people were brought to book with criminal action for their violent behaviour, even though 383 attacks were deliberate and not sparked by medical conditions.